Memory is one type of integrated circuitry, and is used in computer systems for storing data. Memory may be fabricated in one or more arrays of individual memory cells. Memory cells may be written to, or read from, using digit lines (which may also be referred to as bit lines, data lines, sense lines, or data/sense lines) and access lines (which may also be referred to as word lines). The data/sense lines may conductively interconnect memory cells along columns of the array, and the access lines may conductively interconnect memory cells along rows of the array. Each memory cell may be uniquely addressed through the combination of a data/sense line and an access line.
Memory cells may be volatile, semi-volatile, or non-volatile. Non-volatile memory cells can store data for extended periods of time in the absence of power. Nonvolatile memory is conventionally specified to be memory having a retention time of at least about 10 years. Volatile memory dissipates and therefore requires being refreshed/rewritten to maintain data storage. Volatile memory may have a retention time of milliseconds, or less. The memory cells are configured to retain or store memory in at least two different selectable states. In a binary system, the states are considered as either a “0” or a “1”. In other systems, at least some individual memory cells may be configured to store more than two levels or states of information.
Gated devices may be used in memory and other integrated circuitry. Example gated devices are field effect transistors (FETs), gated bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), and thyristors. The processing used in fabricating gated devices can be complex. Such complexities can be problematic in semiconductor fabrication processes in that they may increase costs, reduce throughput, and create risks of misalignment or other errors. Accordingly, it is desired to develop new methods of fabricating gated devices.